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Topeka Zoo's orangutan recovers from surgery

Lena the orangutan at the Topeka Zoo eats treats given to her in her bed from a veterinary technician. She is recovering after an emergency hysterectomy.

Lena, a 30-year-old orangutan at the Topeka Zoo, is recovery after having an emergency hysterectomy. This photograph shows Lena before she had surgery.

Four days after an emergency hysterectomy, Lena, a 30-year-old orangutan, is recovering nicely from her surgery, Shirley Llizo, staff veterinarian of the Topeka Zoo, said Wednesday.

The hysterectomy was performed after doctors determined the third trimester fetus Lena was carrying no longer had a heartbeat.

“We wanted to avoid surgery,” Llizo said. “Complications with a ruptured uterus left us no option. The first 24 hours were critical. Once we got past that point, the focus shifted to pain management and preventing infection. In a great ape that isn’t feeling well, that presents its own set of challenges.” Staff attached four feet of rubber tubing to a broomstick, creating an extended straw through which Lena could drink Gatorade and medication.

“We want Lena to be as comfortable as possible,” Beckee Niemackl, Lena’s primary zookeeper said. “In years of dealing with things like this, you learn to do whatever it takes. The long straw just made sense.”

One of the things that has impressed zoo staff about Lena through this ordeal is her gentleness towards doctors and zoo staff, Niemackl said.

“The day after she went through a major surgery, Dr. Llizo showed her a syringe,” she said. “Lena saw it, and presented her shoulder to be hand injected with pain relievers. In situations like these, you realize how much the training we have done with these orangutans for years pays off.”

Lena is alert, but taking it easy, according to a news release from the city of Topeka. She is resting on a fluffy bed made of straw.

“Her appetite is slowly coming back,” it said. “Infection is still a concern but lessens a little each day. While she still faces a lengthy recovery time, she has a caring staff and loving community to help her along the way.”